Nationally, the demand for charter schools is high, yet access to affordable school facilities is a continued barrier to the growth of the charter sector. This paper, produced by the National Charter School Resource Center (NCSRC) in partnership with the Colorado League of Charter Schools (CLCS) and Momentum Strategies & Research, addresses…

The North Central Regional Center for Rural Development (NCRCRD) is one of four regional centers in the United States that have worked to improve the quality of life in rural communities for nearly 40 years. With funding from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the land-grant universities in our 12-state region, the NCRCRD…

The North Central Regional Center for Rural Development (NCRCRD) is one of four centers in the United States that work to improve opportunities and quality of life in rural communities. With funding from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the land-grant universities in its 12-state region, the NCRCRD engages Extension…

Describes 1999 federal funding to large general-assistance programs affecting small towns and rural areas (including Housing and Urban Development, federal disaster relief, rural extension activities, and Bureau of Indian Affairs assistance programs); increased funding for Empowerment Zones/Enterprise Communities; reauthorization of the Economic…

Describes increases in federal aid that affect: (1) the rural telecommunications infrastructure, access to the Internet for rural schools and libraries, and distance learning and telemedicine programs; (2) nonmetropolitan airports and other transportation; and (3) water treatment and wastewater facilities in rural, American Indian, and Alaska…

Planning for viable rural communities must seek elements inherent in a well-kept American home: lights, water, telephone, employment of the household head, children in school, access to transportation, sufficient food, clothing, health care, recreation, etc. If a community falls short in these necessities, the "needs gap" is where…

Describes general development assistance available to rural areas through federal programs that fund housing, extension education and research, rural community development, rural business development, resource conservation, and development activities in American Indian reservations and disadvantaged rural areas. (SV)

Describes rural implementation of the Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities program, which combines flexible long-term financing with strategic planning and performance benchmarking to empower impoverished communities to address structural problems comprehensively. Impressive 3-year results include job creation; improved community services;…

Four major concerns are currently shaping national rural development policy: (1) rural population and employment are increasingly diverse but physical isolation and low population density limit essential public services; (2) many geographically concentrated rural communities continue to have high rates of very low income; (3) rural governments are…

The key role of the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is to help local people make rural America a better place to live and work. The Rural Development (RD) Committee structure, conceived in 1969, consists of national, state, regional, and local committees which aid the USDA. During fiscal year 1974, USDA and the State Extension Services…

In 2000, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), in cooperation with local development districts, nonprofit organizations, and many small municipalities, expanded programs to help Appalachia's distressed counties become economically competitive. The effort calls for increased funding for technical assistance and capacity building in distressed…

In fiscal year 2001, the Appalachian Regional Commission invested $63.6 million in 469 economic and human development (nonhighway) projects and $389.6 million in highway projects in Appalachia. The Commission launched a new initiative to promote the development of telecommunications infrastructure, especially in distressed counties. The Commission…

As the fourth in a series of annual reports to the Congress by the President on the availability of government and government-assisted services to rural areas, this report first delineates U.S. counties into 10 county groups representing an urban-to-rural continuum and then divides 209 selected Federal programs into five categories (Housing;…

The 5th annual report of the President to Congress on the availability of government and government-assisted services to rural areas, this report outlines executive branch efforts to improve services to rural America during fiscal year (FY) 1973. Services to rural America are measured by comparing the distribution of FY 1973 outlays in 5 broad…

As the first part of a four part report to the U.S. Congress pursuant to Title IX, Section 901 of the Agricultural Act of 1970, this second annual report is limited to rural development activities of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) delivery system (the USDA National Rural Development Committee, State Rural Development Committee, and…